The Department for Health and Social Care has made £5 million available to improve support for carers, outside of mainstream health and care services.

The Department for Health and Social Care has made £5 million available to improve support for carers, outside of mainstream health and care services.

The Carers Innovation Fund will be used to improve support across the country and help build more carer-friendly communities, investing in projects such as such technology platforms to help carers take a break from their caring responsibilities, our support groups.

To qualify for the funding, projects are expected to show a positive effect on carers’ health and wellbeing, ability to manage work alongside caring responsibilities, carers’ ability to take a break from existing roles and reducing carers’ loneliness and social isolation.

Applicants will need to demonstrate that that their project ideas take a fresh approach and benefit the local community and can be expanded and replicated.

The voluntary sector, charities, SMEs and commercial organisations can all bid for funding to prove their concept, with the aim of securing longer term funding from other sources.

Carers and other experts will sit on the evaluation panel to make sure proposals are feasible.

Announced last year as part of the Carers Action Plan, the fund was was initially set at £500,000 however this was then increased to £5 million.

“Informal care is a fundamental part of our health and care system, which would not be sustainable without the incredible contribution of carers across the country. But we cannot take them for granted and must do more to protect their wellbeing and ensure they can enjoy full lives,” said Caroline Dinenage, Minister for Care.

“This £5 million investment will help build our understanding of the kinds of support that work for carers, outside of traditional healthcare services. From cafes that bring carers together, to innovative forms of technology that help carers enjoy time off, I want to see a range of exciting projects boosted and their benefits unlocked.”

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “There’s never been a more important time to develop and accelerate new ways to support unpaid carers.

“Many more of us are taking on unpaid caring responsibilities for family and friends, often alongside paid work or raising children. We are also seeing the amount and complexity of care increasing.

“As we live and work longer, with technology transforming so many aspects of our lives, it’s time to innovate to support the way families are living today.”

has made £5 million available to improve support for carers, outside of mainstream health and care services.

The Carers Innovation Fund will be used to improve support across the country and help build more carer-friendly communities, investing in projects such as such technology platforms to help carers take a break from their caring responsibilities, our support groups.

To qualify for the funding, projects are expected to show a positive effect on carers’ health and wellbeing, ability to manage work alongside caring responsibilities, carers’ ability to take a break from existing roles and reducing carers’ loneliness and social isolation.

Applicants will need to demonstrate that that their project ideas take a fresh approach and benefit the local community and can be expanded and replicated.

The voluntary sector, charities, SMEs and commercial organisations can all bid for funding to prove their concept, with the aim of securing longer term funding from other sources.

Carers and other experts will sit on the evaluation panel to make sure proposals are feasible.

Announced last year as part of the Carers Action Plan, the fund was was initially set at £500,000 however this was then increased to £5 million.

“Informal care is a fundamental part of our health and care system, which would not be sustainable without the incredible contribution of carers across the country. But we cannot take them for granted and must do more to protect their wellbeing and ensure they can enjoy full lives,” said Caroline Dinenage, Minister for Care.

“This £5 million investment will help build our understanding of the kinds of support that work for carers, outside of traditional healthcare services. From cafes that bring carers together, to innovative forms of technology that help carers enjoy time off, I want to see a range of exciting projects boosted and their benefits unlocked.”

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said: “There’s never been a more important time to develop and accelerate new ways to support unpaid carers.

“Many more of us are taking on unpaid caring responsibilities for family and friends, often alongside paid work or raising children. We are also seeing the amount and complexity of care increasing.

“As we live and work longer, with technology transforming so many aspects of our lives, it’s time to innovate to support the way families are living today.”

Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay